The high rising mountains, the mysterious works of nature, the flying tigress and the burning lake, when it comes right down to it, Bhutan has never been short of fascinating stories, be it real or mythical. To add to the list, is a tradition, which has a mermaid in it, a tradition that people of Wang Chudingkha, popularly known as Namseling, still observe.
On the 30th day of the sixth month in lunar calendar, people of Namseling, come together to celebrate “Tshomen Bumcho” which means the “mermaid girl”.
Legend has it, that a mermaid named, E-Ru-Zam, came to Namseling from Ralung in Tibet and created a lake near Wangchu River, which flows by Namseling. It is said that she decided to make the lake her home and lived there ever since. She was believed to have given birth to three sons. And every year, she would ask the villagers to summon three girls to be her daughter-in laws.
To this day, the tradition of presenting three girls for the ritual is practiced. This year, one of the three girls is three year old Gazome. She is from one of the four houses in Namseling that hosts the annual event of Tshomen Bumchu. As the hosts, the four houses are supposed to present a young girl every year to participate in the ritual.
|
[media id=238 width=320 height=260]
|
|---|
|
|
Dressed in her finery, Gazome along with two other little girls, Tenzin and Sonam, walk towards the chorten near the ‘lake’ which has long ago dried up and turned into a marshy area.
Shaman Namgay starts the ceremony by offering various offerings like milk, local brew and a traditional Wang dish called Ming-Ngye. The Pazap assists him. The ritual is conducted while facing the lake which they consider is the abbot of the mermaid.
The villagers surround the Shaman while he makes the offerings. The three little girls are handed a little bowl of milk and a ceremonial scarf wrapped around an arrow. It is believed that these are the gifts or the dowry of sorts, for the mermaid.
After the ceremony are complete, villagers getting busy in merrymaking.
